Consider unsettled claims

The National Letters

Can somebody who has official responsibility within Department of Lands and Physical Planning consider unsettled land compensation claims by legitimate customary landowners around Papua New Guinea?
The certificate of alienability (COA) been recommended by provincial administrators from provinces where land acquisition takes place.
Transfer of customary land has been executed by Secretary for Provincial Affairs after vetting of required land acquisition files and formal transfer of customary land to State.
The agreed land valuation price has been never settled and approximately K300 million worth of outstanding land compensation claims are sitting unattended at Lands’ office at Waigani.
This has been going on for donkey’s years with some files already having gone missing.
Can the current minister Justin Tkatchenko look into this big problem unattended to by former minister Benny Allan and his administration?
We are sitting on a time bomb which must be attended to urgently.
Wake up good minister.
If your department wants to contribute successfully to achieve Government’s Vision 2050, you need to put in place corrective measures
The pile of lands compensation claims shows that your department lacks Vision 2050 key enablers:

  • Effective leadership and good governance;
  • Enabling policy and legislation;
  • Performance and accountability; and,
  • Service delivery.

State currently owns 3 per cent of alienated land.
By 2050, Sow can state acquire more customary land up to 25 per cent?
Incorporate land groups (ILGs) and register all customary land.
Lease all customary land to State and don’t sell any more land to it.

John Tuna
WalPacific (PNG)
Freelance lands and property consultant
Port Moresby